The present invention relates to a running wheel arrangement having a hub means and a running wheel rotatably supported on the hub means.
Running wheel arrangements of this type are used in sporting devices such as inline skates. Running wheel arrangements of this type consist, in particular, of a wheel body made of polyurethane, and a rim fixedly connected to this wheel body. The rim in turn, is rotatably supported on a hub. The hub is finally attached by means of a shaft at a support provided at the inline skates.
A disadvantage of this known wheel arrangement is, however, that shocks on a single wheel of the inline skates cannot be absorbed but are rather transferred onto the inline skate. Shocks of this type reduce the driving comfort and also lead to a significant load on the joints.
Furthermore, the known wheel arrangement is susceptible to vibrations particularly at high running speeds.
In view of the above-mentioned facts, the object of the invention is to improve the known wheel arrangements.
This object is solved by a wheel arrangement of the above-mentioned type, which is characterized in that the hub means has an internal hub and an external hub, which are provided in a manner fixed for co-rotation with one another and that they are provided displaceable with respect to each other in the radial direction and that it comprises a spring means which is provided between the internal hub and the external hub.
Since the hub means according to the invention comprises an internal hub, which can be connected to the inline skate by means of an axis, and an external hub which is provided in a manner fixed for co-rotation with respect to the internal hub and is movable with respect to the internal hub in the radial direction, the wheel arrangement may move substantially perpendicularly with respect to the inline skate. The spring means which is provided between the internal hub and the external hub can absorb shocks against the individual wheel arrangements of the inline skate in the direction of movement of the wheel arrangement with respect to the inline skate. Thus, the driving comfort is increased and at the same time, the joints of the inline skater are protected.
Moreover, vibrations of the wheel arrangement are reduced particularly at high speed.
According to an advantageous development of the invention, the external hub may be provided in the radial direction in a sliding movable manner within the interior hub. This avoids a possible tilting in case of obliquely acting forces, when driving with inline skates.
In another advantageous development of the invention, the axes of the external hub, i.e. the axis of rotation of the running wheel, and the attachment hub of the internal hub may be parallel and offset with respect to one another.
Hereby it is possible to mount the entire wheel arrangement in a downwardly offset manner with respect to the attachment axis. Thus, a conventional wheel arrangement, in which no space for a spring means is provided in the direction towards the inline skate, can be replaced by the wheel arrangement according to the invention.
Moreover, a higher spring path can be achieved by this arrangement while the size of the wheel arrangement is unchanged.
According to a further advantageous embodiment, the spring means may be formed in the form of an elastic body, preferably made of PU foam. Such a spring means is very simple to manufacture, and leads to an inexpensive realization of the wheel arrangement. By a suitable choice of the material, the shock-absorbing behavior can also be adjusted. Thus, it is possible to optimally adapt the wheel arrangement to respective driving situations, e.g. to a road or open country, and to the body weight of the inline skater.
The elastic body may comprise an opening, i.e. it may be formed in an annular manner. Then, it is possible to provide the internal hub with a section for the interlocking engagement into the opening of the elastic body, and to provide the external hub with a section for the interlocking accommodation of the elastic body. For this purpose, both sections are purposefully designed in a manner that the arrangement of the internal hub, which is substantially fixed for co-rotation with respect to the external hub, is ensured.
As an alternative, the external hub may comprise a section for the interlocking engagement into the opening of the elastic body, and the internal hub may have a section for the interlocking accommodation of the elastic body, wherein both sections are formed in a manner that the arrangement of the internal hub which is substantially fixed for co-rotation with respect to the external hub is ensured by the elastic body inserted.
Both alternatives also enable a very simple and therefore inexpensive realization of the wheel arrangement according to the invention. Moreover, this simple arrangement is characterized by its ruggedness and resistance to wear.
Moreover, the spring characteristics of the wheel arrangement, in particular the spring strength and the spring path can be adjusted and therefore adapted to the respective situation by the shape of the opening in the spring element and the shape of the corresponding engagement section.
According to a development of the above-described arrangements, the internal hub may have two halves which are extendable within one another in the axial direction such that they are arranged in a manner fixed for co-rotation. The halves may for instance comprise claws for forming a fixed coupling of the two halves. In an advantageous manner, the external hub may also comprise two halves. Furthermore, the spring means may comprise a first spring element and a second spring element, wherein the first spring element is provided between a half of the internal hub and a half of the external hub, and the second spring element is provided between the other half of the internal hub and the other half of the external hub.
This symmetric arrangement leads to a regular distribution of power into the axle of the inline skates. This finally leads to the fact that the wheel arrangement of the inline skates is more rugged and wears off more slowly. Moreover, this arrangement also corresponds to the structure of the conventional wheel arrangements for inline skates, so that a retrofit of conventional inline skates by the wheel arrangements according to the invention is possible without any problems.
A simple installation of the wheel arrangement is moreover ensured by the two-piece design of the internal hub and of the external hub. The installation is further simplified in that due to the two hub portions, which are not radially-symmetrical (in the present case the two internal hub halves), there is only one possibility to attach the two hub portions and thus the entire arrangement at the inline skate. An incorrect installation of the wheel arrangement at the inline skate, in particular by amateurs, is therefore excluded.
According to an advantageous development, a running wheel having a wheel body and a rim fixedly connected thereto is used. By attaching the rim at the bearing means it is possible to form the bearing between the running wheel and the external hub in a simple manner.
Advantageously, the rim may comprise a web having holes, said web extending in the radial direction. The wheel body may then be cast around the web and the holes. This ensures a stable attachment of the wheel body at the rim.
Purposefully, the rim is rotatably supported at the external hub by means of a ball bearing or a roller bearing. Bearings of this type are especially reliable and inexpensive bearing means.
Advantageously, the rim may be secured at the ball bearing or the roller bearing by means of a safety ring. Since such a safety ring can be easily attached and released, a simple installation is also ensured by this measure. This may enable an exchange of individual components, e.g. of the bearing means.